Grapple in Depth - all about grappling

I have summarized a lot of research on the details of Grapple in D&D 3.5.
Grapple Examples:
Q1. How many grapple attempts can a character make in a round?
A1. The number of Grapple Attempts is based on your Base Attack Bonus (BAB). BAB less than +6 allows 1 grapple attempt. BAB +6 to +11 allows 2 grapple attempts, etc. (Source: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050322a ) Note, PH p156 states that you can attempt to start a grapple multiple times if you have “multiple attacks”. The text should have clarified that this meant “multiple attacks” based on a higher BAB, not multiple attacks due to Flurry of Blows, or because your character has Claw, Claw, Bite.
Examples:
Human Monk, 1st level (BAB +0), using Flurry of blows is only allowed only 1 grapple attempt. If the first strike hits he can attempt a grapple. If grapple fails, he can still attempt a second strike, but cannot attempt a Grapple if the strike succeeds.
· Human Monk, 8th Level (BAB +6), using Flurry of blows is allowed 2 grapple attempts. The monk can attempt to grapple twice due to his higher BAB (not because Flurry of blows allows 3 strikes). His first grapple attempt will use his +6BAB, but his second grapple attempt will use his +1BAB.
· A tiger (or weretiger) is only allowed 1 grapple attempt. It can choose to make the grapple attempt when it hits with either a claw, or a bite.

Q2. If I have multiple attacks, and I attempt to grapple and fail on my first attack, can I still make my secondary attacks?
A2. Yes, but you might not be able to attempt to grapple on a hit from an additional attack unless your BAB allows it.

Q3. If I have multiple attacks, and I begin a grapple after hitting with my first attack, can I still make my successive attacks?
A3. Usually no. An exception is allowed when the attacker is at least 3 size categories larger and has multiple ways of attacking.
Examples:
· Human Monk, 8th Level (BAB +6), using Flurry of blows is allowed 2 grapple attempts and 3 flurries. If the monk hits his opponent on the first flurry, and the monk successfully begins a grapple, the monk cannot perform the remaining flurry of blows strikes.
· My group has ruled that a tiger (or weretiger), could initiate a grapple with a bite and then follow with its rake attacks all in one round.

Q4. If I am fighting with two weapons, or a two-handed weapon, can I make a grapple attempt?
A4. No. To make a grapple attempt you must have one hand free and you must use it to grab your opponent by making a successful melee touch attack. (Source: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050301a )

Q5. How does a grapple start?
A5. Three things must occur before the two combatants are in a grapple.
1. The attacker must avoid the opponents AoO.
a. The attacker decides to attempt a grapple following a successful melee strike. In most cases, the defender would get an Attack of Opportunity to prevent the grapple. If the AoO succeeds and deals damage, then the grapple attempt fails. (Note, an AoO could fail to deal damage for a number of reasons, such as the attacker has a form of damage reduction.) (Source: PH156)
b. An attacker with the Improved Grapple feat does not provoke an AoO. (PH 95)
c. An attacker with Improved Grab does not provoke an AoO. (MM 310) To use Improved Grab, the attacker must be at least one size category larger than its opponent.
2. The attacker must make a successful melee touch attack. (PH156)
a. The attacker must make a successful melee touch attack, else the grapple fails.  In most cases, the attacker declares they are making a grapple check instead of a melee attack.  For example, a fighter with a long sword can say, "I will not attempt to hit my opponent with my long sword, instead I will make a grapple attempt."
b. An attacker with Improved Grab does not need to attempt this melee touch attack. It automatically succeeds. (MM310)
c. Some attackers, specifically some creatures with claws, may strike an opponent doing damage and then begin the grapple as part of that strike without any other checks required.
3. The attacker must make a successful grapple attack.
a. Roll opposed grapple checks. The grapple check is your BAB (which varies per grapple attempt per round) + strength modifier + special size modifier.
i. A combatant with the Improved Grapple feat gets a +4 modifier to all grapple checks (PH 95).

Q6. What happens once we know the grapple succeeds?
A6. Two more things happen before the attackers turn ends.
1. The attacker moves into the opponent’s space.
a. An attacker with improved grab pulls the opponent into his space rather than moving into the opponent’s space.
2. The attacker gets to “deal damage”. Because the attacker succeeded with the above grapple check, the attacker may proceed to roll the damage; another attack is not required. This damage is based on the rules of “Damage your opponent”, and may not be the same as “Attack your opponent”.
Examples:
· Human Monk, 1st level (BAB +0), using Flurry of blows hits twice and successfully attempts to grapple with his second attack. The monk damages his opponent for 2d6 (+ strength bonus) as normal for two strikes, plus he does an additional d6 (+ strength bonus) starting the grapple.
· Human Fighter, 1st Level (BAB +1), declares he is going to grapple instead of attack.  He attempts to hit his opponents Touch AC and hits once and successfully attempts to grapple. The fighter does no damage from his long sword, but he does a d3 (+ strength bonus) of non-lethal damage starting the grapple.
· A tiger (or weretiger) hits with one claw, then with a bite and successfully starts a grapple. The tiger rolls damage for the claw and bite, but does not roll additional damage for establishing the grapple using the bite. Any creature using improved grab, such as the tiger, does not deal damage while establishing the grapple. Monsters with constrict attacks however, can deal damage. (MM310 and http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050322a ).


Q7. What options does the character now caught in the grapple have?
A7. Once a grapple has started, the grapple is no longer something that one attacker has done to the other. Each combatant in the grapple now has all the same options open to it. Thus, the opponent now caught in a grapple can perform any of the grapple actions on his turn. He can attempt to “Deal damage”, “attack his attacker”, “Pin his attacker”, “break the grapple”, or take other actions.

Q8. How do I decide whether to “Deal Damage” or “attack”?
A8. The option that works best depends on several factors.
1. For an “attack” you will make a “to hit” roll at a -4 penalty. To “deal damage”, you will make an opposed grapple check.
2. The number of actions is based on your base attack bonus. A character with a BAB of (+6/+1) could attempt to “attack” using BAB of +6, then attempt to deal damage using a BAB of +1 on your opposed grapple check. The number of attacks you would normally get in a full attack action may not apply. If you have a BAB of +11, you could attempt to damage your opponent, then attempt to pin your opponent, then attempt to break the grapple. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050322a)
Examples:
· Human Monk, 1st level (BAB +0) in a grapple can “deal damage”, which would be the same as an unarmed strike, or he can attempt to “Attack”, but the attack would be at -4 on his to hit roll. Therefore a monk may be more effective attempting to “Deal damage”. The monk would not be able to use Flurry of blows, but he may be able to use Stunning Fist with an attack.
· Human Fighter, 1st Level (BAB +1), using a short sword in a grapple could attempt to “deal damage” of d3 (non-lethal), or could attempt to hit with his short sword for d6, but with a -4 penalty to his to hit roll.
· Human Fighter, 6th (BAB +6), using a dagger and a short sword in a grapple could attempt to “deal damage” of d3 (non-lethal), or could attempt to hit with his short sword two times, but with a -4 penalty to his to hit roll. His BAB would be +6 on the first attack and +1 on the second attack. He would not be able to attack with the dagger. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050308a )
· A tiger (or weretiger) that established the grapple with a bite, could attempt to “deal damage” (by winning an opposed grapple check), in which case the damage would be the amount of damage from a bite, or the tiger could attempt to “attack” his opponent with any single attack (a tiger’s BAB is +4). However, a tiger also has the rake ability. This allows the tiger to perform two additional claw attacks along with whichever other action he elected to take. Rakes do not incur a -4 to hit penalty.

Q9. Can I do more than one action in a grapple?
A9. Yes, if you have a high enough BAB. Your BAB determines the numbers of actions you can perform. Thus, a Fighter with a BAB of +6/+1 could attempt to pin an opponent, and if successful, also attempt to do damage on his turn. If his attempt to pin fails, he could attempt to pin again with his second action. Remember, the second action uses the secondary attack bonus (+1 in this example), not +6.